Canada’s Debate

When it comes to cities Canada has some real gems, each with its own character. Montreal has it’s European charm and Bohemian Sensibility; Calgary has the Stampede and a “look what I made” sense of Pride; Vancouver has it’s scenic vistas and an attitude to match… Toronto?

As much as I love this city and think that it is truly one of the greatest places in the world to live, Toronto’s real character isn’t it’s diversity, or its food, or anything else along cultural lines; it’s the legacy of bad city planning. Honestly, I can’t think of a government anywhere that exerts so much effort to get so little done. Now, before you blame David Miller or our current crop of politicians, consider that the last time there was a unified and coherent effort to develop Toronto in a progressive way was during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Toronto saw a brief building renaissance during the 1960’s, but building two highways and a City Hall does not qualify as planning.

Honestly, what is the deal? A subway on Sheppard Avenue? Spending more money to bury a subway line that it cost to build? Selling a lot on some of the most valuable urban real-estate in the country for $3.8 million? Some might accuse the city of being more timid than anything else; but I don’t see that. I see an entire city incapable of planning for itself in the larger context of growth and development. Makes me seriously consider running for a Councilor’s seat. Considering my lackadaisical behaviour as a student, I’ll fit in perfectly…

I’ve been getting increasingly disgruntled recently, so it’s time for a good rant. For quite some time I’ve been a staunch defender of governments, and public services in general among my family and friends. The number of times I’ve stood up for city hall, the TTC, and certain specific politicians and programs defies enumeration.

Recently however, it is getting harder for me to be the “Voice of Reason” (any Salon Tabletalk refugees out there?) when it comes to these things. First, this idea that the city should invest $700,000 in new street-food carts to encourage healthier options. The city has been crying poor (with good reason) for years. Under these circumstances a pilot-project with a cost that can only increase, which will achieve marginal short-term gains to fix a problem which is not urgent is appalling; it defies all logic and reason. It’s exactly the sort of thing that tempts me to run for City Counsellor a little bit more each election cycle… still a longshot mind you; but I’m getting closer.

The TTC on the other hand is rapidly losing both my confidence and support. (Continue reading…)

I’ve talked about the infrastructure deficit a couple of times in the past; and have even mentioned it on AD Radio on a couple of ocassions when I’ve called in. Well, the subject is in the news once again, as is Harper (and primarily) Flahertys’ appallingly weak response.

Here are the basic facts: Canada’s municipal and rural infrastructure is in staggeringly poor repair, most of it (in adjusted capital spending) being built between 1900 and 1970. A large amount of that infrastructure is so old/dicrepid that it is impossible to project it’s long-term lifespan, and a large majority of it will pass the point that it is repairable in the next decade. The cost to repair/replace this infrastructure is well over $100 Billion dollars. Almost all of it is municipal.

I highlight that last fact because it is at the root of both the problem, and the above-mentioned weak response. Municipal/regional governments depend largely on property taxes for their revenues, and property taxes usually increase along with the rate of inflation, if that. Most of Canada’s urban infrastructure was built during periods of economic expansion and intense urban growth. Toronto’s infrastructure was built in the early part of the 20th century during the two major influxes of European settlers, and during the 1960’s when monied newcomers from Asia started to arrive. (The story is similar in Vancouver, Calgary, etc.) During the periods of expansion the cost of labour and material was relatively stable, and maintenance was inexpensive as the systems being built were being used at rates well below capacity. End result, cities could afford to build infrastructure as they expanded. Fast forward to the 21st century: labour and material costs have far out-stripped inflation, infrastructure systems are being used at peak capacity (or higher), and perhaps most significantly, municipalities are required to use the money raised from property taxes to pay for obligations that didn’t exist during previous build-cycles. (Continue reading…)

Mark it down folks; August 14th, 2007. Today is the day that I find myself agreeing with Mel Lastman. Even though the increasing decrepitude of the city is partially his fault, he is correct in stating that the first place that the city should have cut costs was in Councillor expenses and the Nathan Phillips Square renovation. Of course, doing all that would only get Toronto to about %5 of where it needs to be in terms of savings (construction costs can be amortized), but it was a logical place to start; not because it makes a big difference but because it makes the REAL savings (decreased services or increased taxes) easier to swallow. In short, it would have demonstrated leadership.

Now, I have vigorously opposed this sort of talk up to this point… not because I disagreed with it so much but because people in this province are looking for someone to blame for their problems instead of conceding the realities of the situation (we got fucked by the province, and municipal leaders stalled hoping that Dalton would undo the damage.) I’ll admit, I was playing defense: making those cutbacks would distract from the true source of the problem… but it’s clear now that that approach has failed. Whether it’s because the ignorant masses just like to hate TOronto, or they just don’t care, the facts have gone out the window and there is no point trying to salvage a reasonable response from the electorate.

So I’ve set up a new poll, inspired by the discussion of how the city should respond to its ongoing budget crisis. Granted, there are no easy answers (as much as some people would like to believe there are) to this question, but I’m asking which you feel is the first thing Toronto should do. I hate to make demands on my readers, but I would love it if you would leave a comment explaining why you voted the way you did.

I can’t help but derive a certain degree of satisfaction from watching city council here in Toronto wiggle and squirm as it tries to figure an easy way out of it’s financial mess. The whole scenario reminds me of this:

The “citizens” of Toronto knew they were getting a raw deal with downloading (not to mention the province abandoning TTC operational funding) and yet they all cheered when Mayor Mel, the guy that built a subway line which is going to be mothballed after five years of operation, proudly declared “No tax increases.” Where the fuck did people think the money was going to come from to pay for their municipal services? The self-involvement fairy? My aunt says “if the city wouldn’t waste so much money it’d be fine.” The city wastes money; all cities do. All bureacracies do, and the bigger they get the more they waste. Could the city be a bit better? Certainly… but it strikes me as pretty galling that as a city we collectively buried our heads in the sand, and yet we expected OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES to start fighting a problem we convinced ourselves didn’t exist.

It isn’t often that a politician has a chance to kill two birds with one stone. Right now, the Federal government has just such a chance.

Canadian cities want $2 billion a year in permanent funding from the federal government for public transit, an investment that’s essential to the long-term future of communities and the nation’s economy, mayors said this morning…

“We can help the federal government meet its climate change objectives,” Toronto Mayor David Miller told a news conference here this morning.

The current Tory environmental platform is a shambles; a patchwork of small, old ideas and new toothless ones. It is designed to produce as much publicity as possible with as little expense and market interference as possible. Signing on to this plan actually gives the Tories legitimate environmental traction; while at the same time making concessions to the crippling urban neglect in this country and removing ammunition from the provinces’ “fiscal imbalance” agenda. In reality the only objection to this plan that I can imagine would be an ideological one as $2 billion, while a large sum of money, is certainly doable in the current fiscal climate… as long as unnecessary tax-cuts are rejected.

The Tory response should be interesting.

I am many things; writer, frisbee enthousiast, unemployed slacker, Jewish, balding… and none of those traits (or my assorted chronic joint injuries) causes me as much grief as my seemingly unlimited loyalty for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Today the team has once again reminded me that unwaivering loyalty comes with a heavy price: inevitable betrayal. This is a team that has for years operated under the illusion that it is just a step or two away from the playoffs despite all evidence to the contrary… this has left it in a competitive limbo where it can neither perform up to management expectations, but is unable to go through the redevelopment that a team on the outside can afford to take.

Once again management has decided to take a relatively mediocre team and add a component which can neither guarantee modest success (the playoffs) or even offer hope of real success (a championship), all at the cost of youth and a chance at rebuilding.

While part of me applauds their ability to operate confidently despite a complete and utter lack of competence, the less-cynical part of me dies a bit more each and every time they try and pull this shit.